1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to medical methods and devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods and systems for stabilizing hollow body structures during manipulation such as resection.
The removal of hollow body structures can be difficult because of their delicate structure. The difficulty can be exacerbated when the hollow body structure is filled with fluids and/or is firmly attached to surrounding tissues. The removal of fluid-filled cysts, especially those on the kidneys, spine, ovaries, liver, and the gastro-intestinal tract, can be particularly difficult since accidental loss of the fluid presents a number of problems. In addition to releasing potentially toxic and carcinogenic materials, loss of the cyst fluid causes the cyst to lose its shape and inhibits visualization. The remaining loose “sack” structure can be very difficult to remove, particularly in laparoscopic procedures where access is limited. Finally, loss of fluid from the cyst can make subsequent examination of the fluid difficult since it will have become contaminated with other tissues and fluids in the body.
For these reasons, it would be desirable to provide improved methods, systems, and apparatus for manipulating cysts and other hollow body structures in both minimally invasive and open surgical procedures. It would be particularly desirable if the body structures could be stabilized in order to both reduce the risk of accidental loss of internal fluids and stabilize the exterior of the body structure to facilitate resection and subsequent removal. For laparoscopic and other minimally invasive procedures, it would be further desirable to be able to dissect the body structure into smaller pieces to facilitate removal through a cannula or other access tube. At least some of these objectives will be met by the inventions described herein below.
2. Description of the Background Art
Apparatus and methods for accessing and/or injecting materials into various hollow and other body structures are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,222,380; 4,958,621; 5,263,927; 5,704,925; 5,908,429; 5,931,810; 6,123,665; 6,312,421; 6,663,594; 6,685,628; 6,706,000; and published application US2003/0105488.